Can You Compost Cheese?
No, not in a backyard pile. Cheese is fatty and rich, so it smells as it rots and attracts rats and raccoons. Moldy cheese and rinds belong in bokashi or municipal collection.
At a glance
| Home compost pile | No |
|---|---|
| Green or brown | Neither (not a green or brown input) |
| Moisture | Wet |
| Prep | None needed |
| Worm bin | No |
| Bokashi | Yes |
What to do with cheese instead
Use bokashi or city organics collection. Parmesan rinds can simmer in soup before they're thrown out.
Keep cheese, rinds and cheesy leftovers out of home piles and worm bins. Freeze them until food-scrap collection day, or add them to bokashi. Wax coatings from cheeses like Gouda go in the trash either way.
What goes wrong
Cheese in a pile turns rancid, and the smell draws animals from a distance. If some got in, bury it deep under dry browns or remove it. A crumb of cheese on a pizza crust isn't worth worrying about.
Worm bins and bokashi
Worm bin: Cheese doesn't belong in worm bins; it goes rancid and smells.
Bokashi: Bokashi ferments cheese and cheesy leftovers without trouble.
Balancing the rest of your pile? Check the balance with the compost mix calculator.
From hopcompost.com/can-you-compost/cheese/ · General guidance, not professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you compost moldy cheese?
Not in a backyard pile. The mold isn't the problem; the fat and smell attract animals. Use bokashi.
Can you compost cheese wax?
No. Cheese wax is typically paraffin-based and won't break down. Put it in the trash.
Is a little cheese in compost a problem?
Small traces, like on a pizza crust, won't ruin a pile. Regular additions will cause smells and pests.